Category: Blog

Today I picked the last of the Arugula growing in my garden. Not sure if you even like Arugula? Or like my brother-in-law said when I showed him my arugula, "I thought that was weeds!!" Ha!

Here's a great recipe I've adapted and made on several occasions with farro (which is a wonderful grain). You can also use brown rice or orzo.

I rinsed and then toasted my farro in a little sautéed garlic and shallots and used chicken broth instead of water for cooking the farro. If vegan - use vegetable broth.

I added English cucumber, crumbled feta and made a dressing using the juice of a couple of oranges, fresh squeezed lemon juice and olive oil. If you like your dressing a little sweet add a little honey or agave. I also toasted pine nuts to sprinkle on top.

Spring is absolutely one of my favorite times of year.I look forward to planting my Spring vegetable garden and I thoroughly enjoy the beauty of seeing everything in full bloom this time of year.

When I was growing up it was very common to see fruit trees all over our neighborhood. Some of my fondest memories were plum, pear, and peach trees growing in our yard and also in my great-grandmotherdear’s yard, just one block up the street from our home. I will always remember the muscadine grape vines growing in her backyard. Talk about the best grape jelly!

Carrying on this family tradition, I planted three fruit trees a few years ago, (plum, peach and nectarine) and to my surprise, in the first year my plum tree produced a couple of plums--yes two plums--and my peach treealso produced two peaches, as you can see in the pics.They were all delicious and gave me hope for this year. I am hoping for a huge yield.My sister Agnes also planted fruit trees and her little peach tree was loaded with peaches last summer.

Fast forward to this Spring.All of my fruit trees are currently in full bloom.The pink blooms are from the nectarine and peach trees and the white blooms are from the plum tree.

I can’t wait to infuse some of my homemade jams and jellies into some amazing spring and summer dishes.

Oven roasting vegetables is by far my favorite way to prepare and eat fresh vegetables. I absolutely love the sweet natural flavor that comes from roasting vegetables. During the winter months there are so many good root vegetables available for roasting, and during this time of year I roast a ton of fresh veggies. Some of my favorite vegetables to roast are multi-colored fingerling potatoes, fennel, carrots, red onions, snap peas, peppers, turnips, and small pieces of corn on the cob. Amazingly, even the normally bitter tasting turnip become sweet when roasted. That’s because something sort of magic happens during the roasting process. The high heat transforms the vegetables by causing them to caramelize, leaving a natural sweet flavor.

Keep in mind that different vegetables require different roasting times. That’s because softer vegetables and those that hold moisture like peppers, leeks, zucchini, asparagus, tomatoes, mushrooms and green beans take less time than hard root vegetables like potatoes, beets, carrots, parsnips. Try to combine vegetables with similar roasting times together to ensure even cooking.

When using a conventional oven, I usually roast my vegetables at about 425 degrees, but you can roast vegetables between 375 and 475 degrees. At 425 degrees my vegetables are usually ready in about 20 minutes. The higher the temperature, the shorter the cooking time. The vegetables are done when the centers are soft and creamy and the outer edges are golden and crispy. Be sure and watch them carefully if roasting at higher temperatures.

What you’ll need

A cookie sheet (a flat pan works best. A roasting pan with the higher sides can cause your vegetables to steam rather than roast)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Parchment Paper (or spray your cookie sheet to prevent sticking)

Salt and Pepper

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425

At this high temperature, most vegetables will roast in about 15- to 20 minutes.

Step 2

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Helps to keep the vegetables from sticking and makes for easier cleanup. If you don’t have parchment paper, spray your cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Step 3

Cut vegetables evenly. Cut your vegetables in similar sizes, to help them roast and brown close to the same time. Throw vegetables in a large bowl and sprinkle with extra virgin oil and toss. Use your hands if needed to make sure covered on all sides. A couple of tablespoons per pan should be sufficient. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Spread vegetables evenly on a baking sheet with low sides. Metal is best for roasting.

If your pan is too crowded, your vegetables will steam rather than roast. If you have too many vegetables to fit onto one pan, use two. Also position them near the edges of the pan which makes them brown better.

Step 5

Be sure to stir vegetables a few times while cooking so they will brown evenly on all sides.

Step 6 – ENJOY!

Once you’ve gotten comfortable with roasting, try experimenting. Here are some ideas:

Try different oils like coconut oil, peanut oil or safflower oil. Just make sure your oil is very fresh.

Add some aromatics like onions, garlic, ginger, shallots, leeks

Add herbs like thyme, sage, rosemary, bay leaf

Spice it up with chili power or curry

Finish with something spicy or crunchy like nuts

Roast vegetables and fruit together like butternut squash with apples.